Got some Fox Farm "Grow Big".I'll be using it on most of my plants, the others (maybe after this grow, maybe a few in this grow) will get RCs and I hope to find one that will work better than Fox Farm I might do a few mixed plants also. I can't believe what's in it. Not saying it's bad for the plant, just can't believe that they are getting away with selling us more than 80% water. And 8 EASILY found minerals (basically all of them are just metals, in minute amounts). I have decided that next grow, I'm making my own fucking nutrient blend. I thought there was something special here. I am still going to buy the other two Fox Farm nutes and use them, then next grow I will compare results between Fox Farm and home blends.

So far here is the list of what will go into my home made nutrients. I checked and all of them are usable by plants. Potassium NitrateBoron Nitrite Calcium PhosphateMagnesium PowderAmmonium PhosphateMagnesium PhosphateZinc OxideIron ChelateandCopper Chelate

I also found a source for bulk chelated metal powder once I can afford it:

CopperIronZincBoronManganeseMagnesium

Nematodes:

$20 on amazon, you get 7 million+ and they eat most bad bugs, including flies and fleas. So it's not just good for the garden, good for the house and your pets in general.

@EVERYONEGet some, and put them in your dirt, I am.

You know earthworms are good right? These are like Micro-worms.

I was just looking some other stuff up on amazon and I found Earthworms and Lady bugs.

$6 for lady bugs, $20 for Earth worms.

Getting both, and will put the lady bug feeding dish under one of my plants. Then will let all the ladybugs go outside (like throw them away basically, unless I can make a cage for them) except like 5 or 6, then put them near the feeding tray.

I will separate the earthworms between buckets and moisten the soil so they can dig in, maybe loosen it up before I put them in.

And if I get the nematodes I'm guessing they will keep the lady bud population in check, so that I don't get a house full. But the lady bugs will keep mites and stuff away from my plants while the Earthworms recycle the soil.

I am still reading the book on Microbes, but I learned that Bacteria is the main thing needed. So I ordered some Petri dishes, some Agar, and 2 books on classification of bacteria. So I'll use the Microbe book I'm reading, plus the identification books to grow bacteria that is beneficial to the grow. Then I will let it loose in the grow in mass amounts (not too much, but more than most people would get naturally).

And I'll add Agar to my soil before I put it in the 5 gallon buckets.

Then Nematodes and Earth worms will be what I order after buckets and soil. Then I'm sure I'll learn more from this microbe book before I get any of this stuff, so I'll have more stuff to order.

And I found a few textbooks that will be extremely beneficial in this pursuit, so I will get them at some point. I need to get a better flower light first though.

Then sometime in the future I will start making my own nutes as well.

Good natural soil contains:

30-50% sand30-50% silt20-30% clay5-10% organic matter

This is a test to find out how much of these you have in your soil:

Get the soil you want to test and put some in a quart jar (like a handful or two). Mix in 2 cups of water, and a table spoon of water softener. Wait for them to separate, then measure the layers with a ruler to see what percentage of each there is.

I just realized that my nutrient blend won't have an Ammonia content, so I decided that Ammonia Carbonate will be added to the list.

And it says it can be made by mixing Ammonia and CO2, so I am thinking of (safely) putting some dry ice into some ammonia and see if that works. It just says they have to make "contact".

I just read that soil bacteria excretes a Ph of 7, so if you have enough of it, it will keep your Ph at a good steady level. And I also read that these bacteria are needed in order for the plant to even use nitrogen, and thy don't work at a Ph below 7. So they make a layer of slime that allows them to work if their are enough of them. So they could also keep your soil at that level if their are enough of them.

Also read that Nematodes and Protozoa eat bacteria, so if you have enough good bacteria, you will attract other good things. Or if you buy Nematodes it could keep them alive when you have no pests left.

In the near future I will be starting a compost container with Earthworms, then I will eventually get rabbits, collect their droppings (mixed with ash and banana peels) and start a fungi, bacteria, nematode compost bin. I will start a 2 part composting cycle at that point.

Before I ever make my own fertilizer, I will be renting out industrial space. At that point I will start trying to make nutrients not only for plants, but bacteria as well.

Last edited by Sophiahotep on Thu Nov 14, 2013 9:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I am in the fungus section of "Teaming with Microbes" and it says that bacteria are "in the minor leagues" of composting. So, I was already going to get some inoculated fungus logs from amazon and analyze them under the microscope and "eventually" start a fungus compost. But I am thinking that I will start the fungus compost WITH the fungus logs, and I will take spore prints so that I can make my own inoculated jars and stuff.